


Tomorrow is going to be a better day

by angelgirl132



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Gen, Happy Ending, I Don't Even Know, feel free to suggest an alternative title, i haven't written anything in literally ages, it's probably not very good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-03-19 20:30:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3623250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelgirl132/pseuds/angelgirl132
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by episode 12 of Root A. Spoilers if you haven't seen it!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tomorrow is going to be a better day

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I forgot the entire English language while writing this. (Not surprising since it's not my first.) So it might be confusing. Sorry.

This night is one of the more beautiful ones, Kaneki thinks. 

Snow is falling slowly from the sky, layering a soft blanket all around him. There is barely any sound, at least to his ears, as if the world itself is holding its breath, not daring to make a sound.

Everything seems to have come to a standstill, and the snowflakes, still coming down from the gloomy clouds barely change their path, because even the wind has disappeared.  
It’s oddly comforting, yet melancholic.

Few of the snowflakes land on Hide’s exposed hand. They stay there, not melting, as he is too cold from the blood-loss to produce any body- heat.  
Kaneki looks down and bites his lip hard enough to draw blood.

He stops his stride for the first time since exiting Anteiku and gently pulls the white sheet to cover Hide’s hand.  
He adjusts his grip and tightens his hold, pressing the body of his friend closer to his chest.

Over the time he hasn’t seen him, Hide seems to have become much lighter, like a child in his arms, barely weighing anything.  
(or is it him, that has become so much stronger?)

He wants to bark out a laugh, but it comes out sounding chocked and dry.

‘You couldn’t even protect him. Your best friend.’ The voice in his head sounds slightly like Rize and a lot like Yamori, but there is self-loathing too. 

‘You are not fit to protect anyone.’ It laughs.

‘It would have been better if you hadn’t meddled in.’

‘Hide wouldn’t be here -wouldn’t have died-(no, don’t think about it)- if he wasn’t worried about you.’

‘He put his life on line because he cared about you.’ The voice mocks. ‘You, who left him, avoided him.’

Kaneki forcibly shifts his attention back towards the world around him. He knows, (knows the voices are right) but he can’t think about it, not yet, can’t give in yet, he has to reach the place-

-and then it will be all over.

He feels numbness overtaking him, one that leaves him feeling emptier than ever, as if something precious has been stolen from him.

(but isn’t it just like that? your most important person is gone-) 

Hide’s body is getting even colder. Snow doesn’t help, and without wind the air is chilly. Kaneki doesn’t have much body heat either; his clothes aren’t designed for comfort.

Survival.

How utterly meaningless.

He resumes walking, the goal not clear in his mind, but instinct makes him move forward. It also warns him of the danger laying ahead.

Exactly what he needs.

He eyes the bodies on the road, merely a passing glance. He doesn’t know them, not closely enough for it to hurt more than it already does .

Even the traces of battle seem to be fading away, with a fresh layer of snow on top; everything looks calm and promises brighter tomorrow.

‘Let’s go home, Ken.’

‘What is home?’ he wonders.

A long forgotten memory suddenly floats to surface. 

‘Home is where your heart is.’ A soft voice tells him. It’s his mother’s weary face looking down at him. Despite that, she's giving him a warm smile. ‘You will understand better when you’re older.’

He does understand. He just wishes it hadn’t taken this long.

‘Home...’

\--

CCG has finally noticed his presence. 

Surprisingly, no one halts him as he walks right ahead. 

He sees an investigator wanting to try, but another stops him with a gesture. They are probably getting orders from higher-ups. 

His stride continues uninterrupted until he comes to a brightly lit area.

There are other people around, but he’s concentrating on the man in the middle.

But first, he kneels and gently lowers Hide’s body on the cold ground.  
He looks at his friend’s face, oddly serene and ashen. His hand lingers over his cheek.

‘Home…’

He would try to ask for help, if not for the fact that he knows it’s too late.

As he lifts his head, he sees the man silently studying him. Kaneki is sure he doesn’t imagine the glimpse of honest curiosity and pity in other’s gaze.

He stands up and resumes his pace easier than expected. He stops just a few metres before the other.

He looks at the man and knows that he’s staring at his death.

So he pleads silently with his eyes, because his throat refuses to work, and he's scared that he'll just scream if he tries to talk. Relief floods him when he sees he’s understood. The man inclines his head ever so slightly, and in the next second he’s moving.

Kaneki stands calm, a sudden warmth blooming in his chest. It feels surprisingly peaceful, as if sinking deeper into a warm embrace of a loving mother.

He fleetingly registers that his vision is slowly shifting, as he’s falling to his side. Weirdly enough, he doesn’t feel the impact of hitting ground.

He spends his last moment lazily tracking a snowflake’s movements, as it finally settles on his lashes.

Then its darkness and -

\--  
The air smells sweet, like flowers. It feels warmer than it should be. His thoughts are short and muddled. 

It feels like he’s lying on soft grass.

He slowly becomes aware of a warm hand stroking his cheek. 

For some reason it makes him tear up and choke back a sob.

He slowly opens his eyes.

‘Welcome home, Ken.’

…

The familiar, genuine smile is back. Only this time is not there’s no trace of pain he saw there earlier.

He hadn’t thought he would see it again.

‘I’m home.’

Thank you for this chance.


End file.
